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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to be taken back and a bit put out by

17 replies

towardsZero · 20/11/2010 14:41

train company stance on DH stolen case.

It was stolen on his way back from a business trip when he left it in luggage stand and went to sit down because he was in pain from an injury he got earlier in the year - he does not usually admit to being in pain. He and another couples cases were stolen.

The transport police were very helpful checking the lost property offices along the line, from DH getting off to start of journey, requesting CCTV ect.

We got today a letter from train company saying case it had been found other end of country and transported back to DH starting point. After ringing them they say we have to go to that station to pick it up as they cannot get it nearer to us.

I rang a second time - as we can not get up there today to be told the changes of holding till next week - which are affordable - and that we should check office is actually open next week as today it is shut due to staff illness - (I am pleased they thought to warn us so we do not do a wasted journey especially as person DH spoke to said nothing of this).

It is a five hour plus round trip to that station, at least 50 pound ticket and we can not per-book as office is not reliably open.

AIBU to think they could get it to an office closer to us - even if we had to pay for that - I mean they have access to trains?

OP posts:

lollipopshoes · 20/11/2010 14:45

yanbu.

You'd think they could at least put it on a train to get it a bit closer to you!

Unless there's some legal reason why he has to collect it from the original station?

mistressploppy · 20/11/2010 14:47

How spectacularly unhelpful of them! I suggest making some enigmatic references to your job as a journalist...

choccyp1g · 20/11/2010 14:57

How come they have found it if it was stolen? Or did the thieves rummage through and then put the case back in a different place. In a way that's quite thoughtful for villains.

LadyViper · 20/11/2010 14:59

this happened to my mum and her case was in manchester and she lives in the south, she had to get it couriered.

DanceInTheDark · 20/11/2010 15:00

Was it stolen? Or just lost?

You probably have to get it in person and provide ID or something.

BangingNoise · 20/11/2010 15:00

It would be cheaper for you to pay for it to be posted back.

edam · 20/11/2010 15:01

That's crap. Do the train company run services from any stations nearer to you? Are they being awkward about putting it on a service run by another operator?

BangingNoise · 20/11/2010 15:06

Presumably they wouldn't want to put it on a train on its own.

Original poster

towardsZero · 20/11/2010 15:17

DH was told it is company policy to send lost luggage there as it is this train companies biggest lost property office. That was all they told him - no mention it was closed today or getting it couriered was an option.

Will look into prices for couriering especially if the office is closed next week as it would then have to be unpaid day off for DH.

The best I could suggest to DH was as next week is last weekend we have free till Christmas we could waiting till DD1 last lesson finishes and we make a family trip finding something to do in the city. With family ticket train fare would only be slightly more so it would feel like less time and money wasted - though it would cost more .

choccyp1g
How come they have found it if it was stolen? Or did the thieves rummage through and then put the case back in a different place. In a way that's quite thoughtful for villains.

Yep transport police said they expected cases to be gone through and then dumped at a nearby station - they were hoping to catch thief on cctv as a result. Looks like they stopped on train and went through them there avoiding the cctv. Expect few items to be missing though from DH case - but they lucked out with other couple off on honeymoon - they had a lot of cash in cards in their case apparently.

OP posts:

Original poster

towardsZero · 20/11/2010 15:22

BangingNoise
Presumably they wouldn't want to put it on a train on its own.

Maybe but they have opened it to find his home address to write to us so know nothing dangerous is in it. DH just gave police his work address.

DH is grateful we have been told it has been found - he is hoping to get his work back - presuming the thief had no interest in his research paper.

OP posts:

Vallhala · 20/11/2010 15:35

YANBU.

I recently had my purse stolen at a local station. I reported it but there was no sign of it and so I'd given up hope when I received a letter from First Capital Connect telling me that it had been found. The lowlife who stole it had taken the cash and dumped it, whereupon it was handed in to Kings Cross Station in London.

I live a considerable distance from London and so was relieved to learn that I could have my purse posted to me for the price of admin (£3) and a further £3 recorded delivery fee. My purse still had wildlife sanctuary and train season tickets in it, so was worth recovering.

(And yes, I would willingly kill the bastard who stole it and took all my money, gift vouchers and clubcard vouchers).

The letter I received made no mention that any items found could be returned by post - it was only by luck that I discovered this information on FCC's website.

emmyloulou · 20/11/2010 15:40

You could get a courier cheaper than that, look at parcel 2 go.

YANBU.

BangingNoise · 20/11/2010 15:46

yes, towards Zero, but it could get stolen again. And how would it know when to get off the train?

stayathomegardener · 20/11/2010 15:58

vallhala-I think you can phone Tesco for example to get stolen club card vouchers reissued.They reissued mine when they got lost in the post.hth

Original poster

towardsZero · 20/11/2010 16:29

The couriering is definitely an option so thank you for that information.

Interesting about the club cards stayathomegardener. I had my purse stolen recently - ( we are carefully usually but an OPA made one of DC very uncomfortable on bus journey leaving me with a distressed DC so distracted,two more DC to watch out for and them closer to my bag ) - and lost all my Boots club card points - I had been saving these for Christmas.

People keep trying to cheer us up with things come in threes - we have had two serious accidents this year involving hospital stays and lots of follow on appointments and two thefts .

OP posts:

northerngirl41 · 20/11/2010 16:38

YABU - the train company are not responsible for your DH's belongings. If he wants it back either go and pick it up or get a courier to pick it up.

If it's not worth the hassle just tell them to chuck it.

Original poster

towardsZero · 20/11/2010 17:18

northerngirl41:
the train company are not responsible for your DH's belongings....If it's not worth the hassle just tell them to chuck it.

We do not know what is left - so do not know if it is worth the effort till we can take a look. It is possible we will get back just a empty damaged case with some bit of paper with DH home address on in it - though obviously we hope for more.

I can see you are right about them not being responsible for his belongings.

It is just I suppose we had hoped for some more helpful customer service though - telling us about the couriering option - even knowing for sure that the office will be open if we trek up there so we can pre-book tickets and make plans ( though guy who told me to check was great at least we did not get up there and get told to go away and come back another time).

I suppose it is just not their problem so why help us out.

OP posts:

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